Plantations & people — research with the Roots Search tool

Research lesson for secondary years 1–3 in which pupils research real people on a single plantation via the Roots Search tool.

Learning goals

The pupil can read and interpret a primary historical source (slave register).
The pupil independently researches one plantation and presents findings.
The pupil reflects on the difference between the perspective of the source and the perspective of today.

Materials

Printed worksheet (1 per pupil)
Internet or laptop for surinameglobalgroup.com
Pens, optional A3 paper for group work
Optional: world map, video clip of a Keti Koti commemoration (YouTube)

Curriculum mapping

SLO eindtermen Geschiedenis: tijdvak 6 (Regenten en vorsten) en 7 (Pruiken en revoluties); historisch redeneren H/V niveau

Lesson timing

Min	Activity
5	Introduction + reading the intro together
35	Worksheets — independent or in pairs
10	Discussing answers + reflection questions
5	Extension activity / homework

Lesson context (read aloud)

In this lesson you will work with real historical sources. Between 1830 and 1863 the Dutch colonial authorities kept a 'slave register' in which every enslaved person was recorded: name, age, plantation, sex, mother. On surinameglobalgroup.com/en/roots you will find 161,790 people from that register.

You choose one plantation. You will investigate: how many people worked there? How many men, how many women? Which family names appear most often? What crops did they grow?

Exercises with model answers

1. Go to surinameglobalgroup.com/en/roots and choose one plantation. Note the name and the district/river.

Own plantation. Example: Vossenburg, Commewijne district.

2. How many persons were registered on this plantation? How many men, how many women?

Read from the "Historical context" panel.

3. Which 3 family names occur most often on this plantation?

Visible in the surnames list under "Family names".

4. Which crops were grown? Was this a sugar, coffee, cotton or cocoa plantation?

Found on the plantation detail page.

5. Compare your plantation with a classmate's via /en/roots/vergelijk. What stands out? Which family names appear on both?

Open class discussion. Shared family names may indicate family links between plantations.

6. Imagine: a classmate finds on "your" plantation a family name from her own family. What would that mean to her? Write a short text (5–10 lines).

Reflection task. No right or wrong answer.

⭐ Follow-up activity

Follow-up lesson: read together Anton de Kom's 'We Slaves of Suriname' (1934). Discuss how De Kom describes the plantations and compare with what you found in the Roots Search tool yourself.

Discussion prompts

What does freedom mean to you personally — and what did it mean in 1863?
Which words do we use today ("slave" vs "enslaved person") and why does word choice matter?
Do you know a monument or commemoration in your country related to this history?
Which family names in your class/community might come from Suriname?

Differentiation

Faster pupils: have them compare 2 plantations instead of 1.
Pupils who need more support: pair work, or pre-select the plantation for them.
Pupils with personal ties to Suriname: invite them to share — but never require it.

Sensitive content — handle with care

This lesson touches on slavery, racism and dehumanisation. Use the term "enslaved person" rather than "slave". Acknowledge that some pupils may have personal/family ties to this history. Invite, never require, them to share. Allow space for emotion and have a follow-up plan if pupils need to talk afterwards.